How many square units are in the area of the pentagon shown here   with sides of length 15, 20, 27, 24 and 20 units?

[asy]
pair a,b,c,d,e;
a=(0,0);
b=(24,0);
c=(24,27);
d=(5.3,34);
e=(0,20);
draw((0,0)--(24,0)--(24,27)--(5.3,34)--(0,20)--cycle);
draw((4.8,32.7)--(6.1,32.2)--(6.6,33.5));
label("24",(12,0),S);
label("27",(24,13.5),E);
label("20",(15,30.5),NE);
label("15",(2.6,27),NW);
label("20",(0,10),W);
draw((1.5,0)--(1.5,1.5)--(0,1.5));
draw((22.5,0)--(22.5,1.5)--(24,1.5));
[/asy]
[asy]
pair a,b,c,d,e;
a=(0,0);
b=(24,0);
c=(24,27);
d=(5.3,34);
e=(0,20);
draw((0,0)--(24,0)--(24,27)--(5.3,34)--(0,20)--cycle);
draw((24,27)--(0,20));
draw((4.8,32.7)--(6.1,32.2)--(6.6,33.5));
label("24",(12,0),S);
label("27",(24,13.5),E);
label("20",(15,30.5),NE);
label("15",(2.6,27),NW);
label("20",(0,10),W);
draw((1.5,0)--(1.5,1.5)--(0,1.5));
draw((22.5,0)--(22.5,1.5)--(24,1.5));
[/asy]

We divide the figure into a right triangle and a trapezoid, as shown.  The area of the right triangle is $(15)(20)/2 = 150$, and the area of the trapezoid is $(24)(20+27)/2 = 564$.  Therefore, the total area is $150+564 = \boxed{714}$ square units.